Slow-Roasted tomatoes

Ingredients

1) 8 roma or vine-ripened tomatoes

2) 3 tablespoons olive oil

3) 2 tablespoons salt flakes

4) 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 110ºc..

2. slice the tomatoes in half and place, cut side up, on a baking tray lined with baking paper

3. Brush or drizzle with the olive oil. sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

4. roast in the oven for 3 hours.

5. remove from the oven, cool and keep refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days.

HINTS AND TIPS:

* You will need—cutting board, cook’s knife, spoon measure, baking tray and baking paper.

* These tomatoes freeze well for up to 2 months.

* Try adding 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, placed on the tomatoes, before roasting.

* The marriage of basil and tomato is perfect, so try adding 6 basil leaves. You can also use other herbs like oregano, parsley, mint or thyme. Chop the herbs finely and sprinkle over the tomatoes before roasting.

* Finely chop 4 shallots or 1 small brown onion and sprinkle over tomatoes before roasting. Shallots are favored over onions as they

tend to be less pungent, but they are a bit more fiddly to peel and chop.

* Roasted tomatoes are fantastic with breakfast, in a salad, chopped into a frittata, served with roasted or grilled meats, or on a mezze or antipasto platter.

* Once cooked, drizzle tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and scatter with

goat’s cheese; serve with a simple salad or as a side dish.

* To use with pasta—peel skins from the roasted tomatoes and place in a food processor, then blitz to make a simple yet full-flavoured passata (fine tomato sauce). Homemade tomato sauce is an indispensable ingredient in any kitchen, especially for beginner cooks looking for an

easy meal.

* For good storage of the roasted tomato sauce—place the hot puree in sterilized jars and seal with a lid. The heat from the sauce will create a vacuum while cooling.

* For a juicier sauce, try cooking the tomatoes at a higher temperature for a shorter time. Preheat the oven to 170ºC and roast for 1½ hours until softened. These tomatoes are less intense but still very tasty;

try grilling or pan frying when reheating, or simply puree to use as pasta sauce